Clean Air

The United States Surgeon General and other authoritative public health authorities have determined that involuntary inhalation of tobacco smoke (a) is a cause of numerous diseases in healthy non-smokers; (b) is a major contributor to indoor air pollution; (c) places children, unborn children of pregnant women, elderly people, and individuals with cardiovascular and/or respiratory disease at special risk; (d) is a trigger for acute episodes of respiratory distress and myocardial infarction; (e) increases the lifetime exposure to carcinogenic tobacco smoke of  both smokers and non-smokers; (f) burdens the health care system by increasing the number and frequency of required hospital admissions and emergency visits thereby increasing the public and private expenditures required for the treatment; (g) reduces the life expectancy of persons consistently exposed to secondary smoke and (h) causes substantial losses in productivity through smoking related absences from work and school.

Excerpted from the December 2, 2003 WV Supreme Court Decision #31120.... “In attempting to minimize the effects of tobacco smoke on the general public in public places, the regulations of [boards of health] address a serious health issue which the Legislature has recognized. Based upon the foregoing observations, we find that clean indoor air regulations of local boards of health that place restrictions on smoking in enclosed public places (1) are consistent with the findings of the Legislature "that smoking may cause lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema and other serious health problems," (2) advance the legislatively prescribed public policy "to provide the state with a citizenry free from the use of tobacco," and (3) fall within the bounds of authority granted by the Legislature to such boards....."  

Accordingly, the Preston County Board of Health finds and declares that the purposes of this regulation are (1) to protect the public health and welfare by prohibiting smoking and the use of electronic smoking devices and hookahs in public places and places of employment; and (2) to guarantee the right of nonsmokers to breathe smoke-free air, and to recognize that the need to breathe smoke-free air shall have priority over the desire to smoke (3) to facilitate smoking cessation by active smokers, and (4) to discourage youth from taking up the habit and thereby developing a nicotine addiction.​

This regulation bans smoking in all places that are frequented by the public. This includes 100% of enclosed public places and outdoor public places including playgrounds, fairs and festivals. This Regulation, as amended, shall become effective April 1, 2016.

This Regulation shall supersede previous Preston County Health Department Clean Indoor Air Regulations. To view the complete Preston County Clean Indoor Air Regulation please click on the tab below.